Injection valve

ABSTRACT

A valve for injecting or ejecting fluid to or from a fluid stream flowing in a pipe includes a valve body connected between abutting flanges in the pipe. The body has a through passage intersecting the pipe with seating assemblies located in each end of the through passage which cooperate with a stem assembly to provide communication between a port, the valve body and the pipe.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to a valve and more particularly to a valve which may be used to inject fluids into or sample fluid from a process fluid stream flowing in a tube or pipe such as that which might occur in a manufacturing process, for example, a process stream in a continuous polymerization line for the manufacture of thermoplastic polymer.

The prior art in the field of valve design and fabrication teaches a number of valves which are useful for the regulation of fluid transfer to and from a variety of manufacturing operations. However, in certain kinds of manufacture, for example the production of thermoplastic polymers, the materials of manufacture are susceptible to degradation during periods in which they are not being actively processed, for example, during a period when such materials might be held up within a valve when the valve is temporarily closed.

It is, therefore, an object of this invention to provide a valve which may be used for injecting fluid additives into or sampling fluid from a flowing stream in a manufacturing process, in which the valve closure means is located in the flowing process stream.

It is another object of this invention to provide a valve which may be installed easily in tubing or piping used in a manufacturing process, for example in a continuous polymerization line for the manufacture of thermoplastic polymer.

It is another object of this invention to provide a valve which may be purged by a cleaning fluid with the closure means of the valve in the closed position, located in a flowing process stream.

It is another object of this invention to provide a valve which may be partially disassembled for cleaning without shutting down the manufacturing process in which the valve operates.

It is yet another object of this invention to provide a valve having sealing seats which may be removed from the valve body for cleaning.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

With these and other objects in view the present invention provides a valve for injecting or ejecting fluid to or from a fluid stream flowing in a tube or pipe sections joined by abutting flanges comprising a valve body, two seating assemblies and a ported stem assembly,

Said valve body being adapted for connection between abutting flanges of a pipe and having a plenum chamber in communication with the pipe, said plenum chamber being intersected by a bore passing completely through the valve body, said bore housing through its opposite ends an inserted portion of each of the two seating assemblies, said inserted portion of each of the two seating assemblies having a seating surface at the end thereof,

The first seating assembly being adapted to be moved into and out of the bore such that its seating surface meets with and separates from the seating surface of the second seating assembly inside the plenum chamber to close and to open the valve respectively,

The second seating assembly having a hollow center and at least one port leading into said hollow center, said hollow center housing an inserted portion of the ported stem assembly,

Said ported stem assembly having at least one port extending along the stem from a position adjacent to the port in said second seating assembly to a position adjacent the seating surfaces of the seating assemblies to provide with the valve is in the open position, fluid flow communication between the port in said second seating assembly and the plenum chamber in communication with the pipe.

In one embodiment of the present invention there are two ports in the second seating assembly and two ports along the ported stem assembly, said two ports along the ported stem assembly extending from a position adjacent the respective two ports in the second seating assembly to the end of the inserted portion of the ported stem assembly.

In another embodiment of the present invention with the valve in the closed position, there is a gap between the end of the inserted portion of the ported stem assembly and the end of the inserted portion of the first seating assembly adapted to provide fluid flow communication between the two ports in the ported stem assembly through the gap.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a front view of the valve body.

FIG. 2 is a front view of the first seating assembly.

FIG. 3 is a front view of the second seating assembly.

FIG. 4 is a front view of the ported stem assembly.

FIG. 5 is a front view, partly in section, of the complete valve.

FIG. 6 is a plan view of the complete valve assembly installed on line between abutting flanges of pipe.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

A preferred embodiment of this invention which is fully depicted in FIGS. 5 and 6 is conveniently described in parts with the aid of FIGS. 1 to 4.

FIG. 1 illustrates a disc shaped valve body (1) having two flat faces (2), a plenum chamber (3) within the valve body (1) that opens onto both faces (2), and a bore (4) passing completely through the diameter of the valve body (1), intersecting the plenum chamber (3).

One end (5) of the bore (4) and the adjoining positions of the valve body (1) are adapted to receive the first seating assembly (not shown in FIG. 1, but illustrated in FIG. 2). To that purpose the bore (4) is enlarged near end (5) and fitted with packing (6), and a flat face (7) and bolt holes (8) are provided in valve body (1) to facilitate attachment thereto of the first seating assembly.

The other end (9) of the bore (4) and the adjoining positions of valve body (1) are adapted to receive the second seating assembly (not shown in FIG. 1, but illustrated in FIG. 3). The bore (4) near end (9) is not enlarged, but a flat face (10) and bolt holes (11) are provided in valve body (1) to facilitate attachment thereto of the second seating assembly.

Also shown in FIG. 1 are bolt holes (12) in valve body (1) for the attachment thereto of abutting flanges (indicated as (61) and (62) in FIG. 6) of a pipe, and fluid transfer holes (13) in valve body (1) for the conduction of a heating medium to warm the valve body (1).

FIG. 2 illustrates the first seating assembly which includes a stem (20) which passes through a packing gland (21), a bearing plate (22) and a nut (23) and terminates at one end in head (24) and at the other end in insertable portion (25). Female threads in nut (23) are adapted to cooperate with male threads on the portion adjacent head (24) of stem (20) to move the stem (20) in or out relative to the packing gland (21) when the nut (23) is turned, as with a wrench, stem (20) being prevented from rotational movement by key (70) in keyway (71) and key (70) being held in place by pin (72) (shown also in FIG. 6). The insertable portion (25) of stem (20) is adapted to fit in surface to surface contact within the bore (shown as (4) in FIG. 1) and to seal against the packing (shown as (6) in FIG. 1). A seating surface (26) is provided about the end (27) of the insertable portion (25) of the stem (20) and in this embodiment the end (27) is also shallowly countersunk with a hole (28) adapted to receive the end of a ported stem (shown as (40) in FIG. 4) and to provide mutual communication between the stem ports (shown as (44) in FIG. 4).

Also shown in FIG. 2 are the bolts (29) which attach the first seating assembly to the valve body (shown in FIG. 1).

FIG. 3 illustrates the second seating assembly which includes a stem cylinder (30) in a housing (31) and bolts (32) to attach the second sealing assembly to the valve body (shown in FIG. 1). The stem cylinder (30) has a hollow center (33) adapted to receive the ported stem (shown in the exploded view, FIG. 4, as (40)) in slideable surface to surface contact. The insertable end (34) of the stem cylinder (30) is provided with a seating surface (35) adapted in this embodiment to seat in female connection with the seating surface of the first seating assembly (shown as (26) in FIG. 2). Also in FIG. 3 is gasket (36) about the stem cylinder (30) which facilitates the sealing of the second seating assembly against the valve body (shown in FIG. 1) after it is connected thereto with bolts (32) provided for that purpose. In this embodiment two ports (37) are illustrated in housing (31) which lead into the hollow center (33) to communicate with two stem ports (shown as (44) in FIG. 4).

FIG. 4 illustrates the ported stem assembly comprising the ported stem (40), an extraction plate (41), gasket (42) about the ported stem (40) and bolts (43) adapted to attach the extraction plate (41) of the ported stem assembly onto the housing (31) (shown in FIG. 3) of the second seating assembly. The ported stem (40), in this embodiment, is fitted with two ports (44). These ports (44) are grooves cut in the ported stem (40) running from a portion of the ported stem (40) near the extraction plate (41) along the full length of said ported stem (40). Each stem port (44) is aligned to lie directly beneath a corresponding port (37) (shown in FIG. 3) of the second seating assembly and to be in separate communication with such port (37).

FIG. 5 illustrates the assembled valve wherein the two seating assemblies are bolted onto the valve body (1) and the ported stem assembly is bolted onto the housing (31) of the second seating assembly. The seating surface (26) of the stem (20) of the first seating assembly is shown to be seated in male-female connection with the seating surface (35) of the stem cylinder (30) of the second seating assembly inside plenum chamber (3); i.e. the valve is shown in the closed position.

The other numbered parts illustrated in FIG. 5 are as designated hereinbefore in the description of FIGS. 1 to 4.

FIG. 6 illustrates the valve installed on line between the abutting flanges (61) and (62) of pipe (64). The valve body (1) is shown to be attached to the flanges (61) and (62) by means of bolts (63). The plenum chamber (3) is adapted to allow the flow of fluids through the pipe (64) and about the seating surfaces (26) and (35) of the first and second seating assemblies respectively whether these seating surfaces are in the open position shown or are in the closed position as shown in FIG. 5.

The other numbered parts illustrated in FIG. 6 are as designated hereinbefore in the description of FIGS. 1 to 4.

The operation of the valve may be conveniently described with the aid of FIGS. 5 and 6. In operation the stem ports (44) of the ported stem (40) may be exposed to the plenum chamber (3) by turning nut (23) in one direction causing the stem (20) to be withdrawn and thereby separating the seating surface (26) from seating surface (35). Turning nut (23) in the opposite direction results in the reversed motion of stem (20) and the seating surfaces (26) and (35) are brought together thereby enclosing the ported stem (40) and the stem ports (44). In this manner the valve may be opened over a range of settings or closed altogether.

The valve may be used to inject additives into the process by injecting the additives through the ports (37) to the stem ports (44). The rate of addition may then be controlled by adjustment of nut (23).

In a similar fashion, by applying a vacuum to the ports (37) the valve may be used to remove sample material from the process.

To purge the stem ports (44) the seating surfaces (26) and (35) are brought together as described above i.e. closed and one port (37) is connected to a source of purging fluid under pressure while the other port (37) is connected to a source vacuum. The purging fluid then enters one port (37) passes along the adjoining stem port (44) to the countersunk hole (28), passes through the gap between the end of ported stem (40) and the bottom of hole (28) and then passes back along the other stem port (44) to be exhausted to waste at the other port (37).

It will be appreciated that it is not necessary to have the countersunk hole (28) in the end (27) of stem (20) in order to allow purging of the stem ports (44) as described above. For example, if, with the seating surfaces (26) and (35) in the closed position, the end of ported stem (40) terminates just short of the end (27) of stem (20) to provide a gap therebetween, such purging may be carried out in the absence of the countersunk hole (28). In this case, however, alignment of stem (20) with stem cylinder (30) may be unsatisfactory, as the presence of the end of ported stem (40) in countersunk hole (28) is required to ensure that stem (20) and stem cylinder (30) are in alignment.

If it is desired e.g. for cleaning purposes, the seating surface (26) of stem (20) of the first seating assembly may be rotated respective to and in contact with the seating surface (35) of the stem cylinder (30) of the second seating assembly. This may be accomplished by loosening pin (72) and removing key (70) from keyway (71) and then turning head (24) of stem (20) with a wrench.

The novel construction of the valve of the present invention facilitates the removal of the ported stem assembly without process shutdown. The seating surfaces are closed to isolate the ported stem (40) from the process and then the whole ported stem assembly may be easily unbolted and removed. This feature allows the ported stem (40) and the inner surface of the stem cylinder (30) to be more thoroughly cleaned than may be accomplished by purging alone. Furthermore the ported stem (40) may be repaired or simply replaced, perhaps by another stem having ports of different design, size or arrangement.

The above construction of the valve also permits the removal of the seating assemblies during periods of temporary process shutdown. This feature exposes substantially all surfaces of the valve, including both seating surfaces, to cleaning, repair or replacement. It will be appreciated that valve components may be replaced with others of somewhat different design to achieve a variety of purposes. Therefore the valve is capable of great versatility in construction by simple substitution of parts. 

We claim:
 1. A valve for communicating to a fluid stream flowing in pipe sections joined by abutting flanges comprising:a valve body adapted for connection between said abutting flanges and having a plenum chamber in communication with said pipe sections, said plenum chamber being intersected by a bore passing completely through the valve body from one end to the other; a first seating assembly positioned in one end of said bore, said first seating assembly being adapted to be moved into and out of the bore and having a seating surface to close and to open the valve; a second seating assembly positioned in the other end of said bore, said second seating assembly having a hollow center and at least one port leading into said hollow center, the inserted portion of each of the two seating assemblies having a seating surface at the end thereof; and a ported stem assembly housed in the hollow center of the second seating assembly, said ported stem assembly having at least one port extending along the stem from a position adjacent to the port in said second seating assembly to a position adjacent the seating surfaces of the seating assemblies to provide when the valve is in the open position, fluid flow communication between the port in said second seating assembly and the plenum chamber in communication with the pipe sections.
 2. The valve according to claim 1 in which there are two ports in the second seating assembly and two ports along the ported stem assembly.
 3. The valve according to claim 2 in which the two ports in the ported stem assembly extend along the stem from a position adjacent the respective two ports in said second seating assembly to the end of the inserted portion of the stem assembly.
 4. The valve according to claim 3 in which with the valve in the closed position, there is a gap between the end of the inserted portion of the ported stem assembly and the end of the inserted portion of the first seating assembly adapted to provide fluid flow communication between the two ports in the ported stem assembly through said gap.
 5. The valve according to claim 4 wherein there is a countersunk hole in the end of the inserted portion of the first seating assembly, said hole housing the end of the inserted portion of the ported stem assembly, and wherein said gap is between the end of the inserted portion of the ported stem assembly and the bottom of said hole. 